FAL

On December 1, 2009 the Fine Arts Library hosted Alafia, a performance and installation in honor of World Aids Day. The performance and installation of African art was presented by Issa Nyaphaga and UT Art History professor Moyo Okediji.
Alafia – which means “health” in Yoruba – focused on health matters (art and healing go hand-in-hand in African and African diasporic arts), in particular the scourge of epidemic and pandemic ailments such as AIDS, swine flu, tuberculosis and Ebola.
A procession of masks was to start from the “Igbale” (or shrine) at the Warfield Center for African and African American Studies and lead to the Fine Arts Library, where the grand performance and installation took place. Although the procession did not take place due to rain, the masks were on display on the third floor of the FAL through December 8. Photos by Travis Willman. Design by Mark Doroba.